Raspberry Brownies are fudgy homemade brownies studded with chocolate chips and topped with raspberry preserves for rich, decadent treats that are perfect for Valentine's Day or any time!

Raspberry Swirl Brownies with text overlay.

If you enjoy jazzed up brownies, you'll also love these Peanut Butter Brownies!

I always feel like coming up with January blog recipes leaves me in somewhat of a quandary. There's the whole healthy/New-Year's-Resolution vibe to keep in mind, of course...but on the other hand, Super Bowl and Valentine's Day are both right around the corner. So I do my best to alternate light, calorie-conscious recipes with cheesy dips and decadent chocolate treats. Life is all about balance, right? 😉 So fair warning...today's Raspberry Brownies fall squarely in the decadent chocolate treat category.

Aerial view of Raspberry Brownies in pan.

Chocolate plus berries has always screamed Valentine's Day to me, but these treats are actually appropriate any time of year...any time you need dense, fudgy, to-die-for brownies with a slightly tart, fruity ribbon running through 'em, that is.

Close-up of homemade brownies with raspberries on top.

The Inspiration

These Raspberry Brownies truly are to-die-for, y'all. I adapted my all-time favorite Barefoot Contessa Outrageous Brownies for this recipe...which means that right from the get-go, you can't go wrong.

Ina's brownies are baked in a big sheet pan and make a giant batch, which is ideal for certain occasions, like when a party is being thrown or mass sharing is involved.

But sometimes I just don't need that many addictive brownies calling to me from the kitchen counter (okay, maybe it's my hips that don't need them), so a smaller batch is a nice alternative.

I reduced the original brownie recipe to fit in two round, 9-inch cake pans. Then to make them extra-special, I swirled the tops of each pan with seedless raspberry preserves. The result is dense, fudgy brownies with a glossy, burgundy swirl that can be sliced into cute little (or BIG! I won't judge) wedges.

Ingredients

So what do you need to make these amazing Raspberry Brownies?

Butter. Using unsalted allows you to control the saltiness of your baked goods.
Semisweet chocolate chips + unsweetened chocolate. Double the chocolate gives these raspberry brownies deep, dark chocolate flavor.
Eggs. At room temperature.
Instant espresso powder OR instant coffee granules. This ingredient is optional but highly recommended. Adding espresso/coffee actually doesn't give the recipe a coffee undertone -- rather, it simply serves to intensify the chocolate giving the brownies a deeper, richer flavor. You may reduce the amount used if you wish, but when I've tried doing so, I didn't think the brownies tasted as decadent.
Pure vanilla extract.
Sugar, flour, baking powder, + salt. The standards.
Seedless raspberry jam or preserves. For that pretty, yummy raspberry swirl!

Close-up of raspberry swirl on homemade brownie recipe.

How to Make Raspberry Brownies

Full directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here's a little preview/summary:

Melt together the butter, chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate until smooth; set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, blend together eggs, instant espresso powder, vanilla, and sugar. Slowly and gradually stir the warm butter/chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt, then blend it into the chocolate mixture until just combined. Stir floured chocolate chips into the batter.
Divide the batter between two prepared cake pans and smooth the tops. Dollop each pan with raspberry preserves and use a knife to gently swirl the preserves into the batter.
Bake until a toothpick just tests clean and allow the Raspberry Brownies to cool in the pans.

Slice into wedges and enjoy!

Raspberry Brownies on white plate with berries.

Despite the fact that this recipe has been reduced from its original sheet pan-sized inspiration, it's still perfect for sharing!

I've started baking these Raspberry Brownies when I volunteer to make dinner -- and need a dessert -- for someone who just moved or just welcomed a new baby. One cake pan of brownies goes to the receiving family...and one pan stays at our house.

It's the perfect amount of chocolate-raspberry decadence without the temptation of an enormous sheet pan of brownies.

Simply put, these Raspberry Brownies are GLORIOUS. Whether you're a brownie fan or a chocoholic in general, they are a must-try.

They are rich and dense, but the raspberry preserves perfectly counter that richness. And if you add some fresh raspberries on top (because fruit = vitamins), you can feel justified eating a few extra bites! This may or may not be a good thing depending on how far removed you are from those aforementioned resolutions. 😉

Raspberry brownies on plate with berries.

So surprise your valentine with a pan of Raspberry Brownies! Or make them for a new neighbor...or a new mom...or your favorite teacher...or your hard-working mail carrier...or yourself!

Because nothing says LOVE like ch♥colate.

More Valentine's Day Treats